Comfort Food ~ Mughlai Chicken

I love comfort food! One of my favorite go-to winter recipes is Chicken & Onion Stew - sure to warm anyone's body, mind & soul. And now I have found another great, heart-warming dish. I must credit this recipe for Mughlai Chicken to two incredible women for this recipe. First, to Yasmine, a mom at my school who is an amazing cook. She introduced me to this recipe and everything Yasmine makes is delicious and she does it effortlessly. Second, to Nigella Lawson who created this delciousness. I made a big batch of this on a Sunday morning and enjoyed it all throughout the week. There are a lot of ingredients, but nothing is complicated.

Mughlai Chicken

Ingredients

•2.5cm fresh ginger, peeled

•4 cloves garlic, peeled

•2 teaspoons ground cumin

•1 teaspoon ground coriander

•1/2 teaspoon dried chilli

•4 tablespoons ground almonds

•125ml water

•5 cardamom pods, bruised

•1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

•2 bay leaves

•4 cloves

•4 tablespoons vegetable oil

•1.5kg boned, skinned chicken thighs, each cut in 2

•2 onions

•250ml Greek yogurt

•250ml chicken stock

•125ml double cream

•100g (golden) sultanas (I skipped these)

•1 teaspoon garam masala

•1 tablespoon caster sugar

•1 teaspoon salt

 •75g flaked almonds, toasted

Method

1.Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and chilli into a food processor, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water, then blend again, and set aside. Traditionally, this would be done with a pestle and mortar, and there's nothing to stop you using those, or a little spice grinder.

2.Put the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves into a small bowl. (Obviously, you don't have to do this, but it saves flitting from cupboard to cupboard looking for the right spices while the oil's spluttering away later.)

3.Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces - in batches so they fry rather than stew - and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove to a dish.

4.Tip in the bowlful of spices and turn them in the oil. Peel and finely chop the onions, add to the pan of spices, and cook until softened and lightly browned, but keep the heat gentle and stir frequently, to avoid them catching. Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour. Add the yogurt, 125ml at a time, stirring it in to make a sauce; then stir in the stock, cream and sultanas.

5.Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected under them, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar and salt. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the chicken meat is cooked through.

6.It's at this stage, that I like to take the pan off the heat and leave it to cool before reheating the next day. So, either now, or when you've reheated it, pour into a serving dish and scatter with the toasted flaked almonds.

After School Snack Attack

I don't know about your child, but mine comes home starving. Before he can answer, "How was school today?", he is asking, "Did you bring me a snack?" It is not unusual for him to eat yogurt, seaweed, mini pumpkin muffins, strawberries and leftovers from last night, only to ask a few hours later if dinner is ready. Our children work so hard at school; mentally, emotionally and physically, and they need lots of proper fuel. A while back I posted some Lunch Box Ideas. Now, here are some after school snack ideas from Wildtree.
_____

Chocolate Marshmallow Granola Bars
Serves 12

Wildtree Hearty Morning Granola Mix, prepared
2 cups miniature marshmallows
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Heat marshmallows, butter, and brown sugar in a sauce pan until melted and bubbly. Add granola. Stir to coat. Grease a 9x9’’ pan. Press granola to coat all areas evenly. Cover surface evenly with chocolate chips. Press lightly to adhere. Cool in refrigerator until set. Cut into bars. Eat right away or wrap in plastic to be stored for up to 2 weeks.
_____

Fruit Tacos
Serves 10

1 pint strawberries, chopped
2 small bananas, sliced
2 peaches, chopped
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
3 tablespoons Wildtree Raspberry Peach Sauce
10 taco shells
½ cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup sliced almonds and pecans (optional)

In a medium bowl, combine fruit with Raspberry Peach Sauce. Fill taco shells evenly with fruit mixture and top with yogurt. Sprinkle with shredded coconut and nuts, if using.
_____

Cranberry Graham Snacks
Serves 8

6 ounces non-fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Wildtree Cranberry Spice Blend
8 honey Graham Crackers
1 pear, sliced

 Blend yogurt, cream cheese, Cranberry Spice Blend and honey with an electric hand mixer until almost smooth. Spread onto graham crackers and pear slices and serve.
_____

Tortellini Kabobs
Serves 10

1 (8 ounce) package spinach tortellini
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) package fresh baby mozzarella
20 wooden skewers
1/3 cup Wildtree Basil Pesto
¼ cup warm water
½ cup ricotta
2 tablespoons sour cream

Bring water in a medium sized sauce pan to a boil. Add tortellini and cook about 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool off enough to handle with your hands. Thread each skewer with a tortellini followed by a tomato, another tortellini, and topped with a mozzarella ball. For the dipping sauce blend Basil Pesto Blend with warm water to hydrate. Then add ricotta and sour cream. Stir to blend.

September’s Freezer Meal Bundle

Can’t make it to the Freezer Meal Workshop but still want to save time, money & stress? Then purchase a discounted bundle and receive all the recipes, cooking directions, side dish suggestions & a free bottle of Wildtree’s Grapeseed Oil. When you purchase a Freezer Meal Bundle you will receive recipes for Thai Sesame Sun Butter Chicken & Noodles, Kickin' Asian Stir-Fry, Balsamic Chicken Drumsticks, Lime Dill Fish, Classic Shrimp Scampi, Marinated Steak Tips, Honey Ginger Crusted Chicken, Chicken Marsala, Summery Pasta, and Bayou Pork Stir-Fry. You will also receive your choice of a bottle of Grapeseed Oil (Natural, Garlic or Butter) and the guest special of the month. The 10 Meal Bundle allows you to make all the recipes multiple times as well as many others!

***You must purchase these bundles directly through me. ***

10 Meal Bundle

European Dipping Oil - Balsamic

Kickin’ Asian Stir-Fry Sauce

Lemon GSO

Thai Sesame Sun Butter Sauce

Bayou Blend

Italian Salad Dressing Blend

Tzatziki Blend

Scampi

CA Garlic Pepper

Marsala

Grapeseed Oil of choice - FREE

September Gift - Pumpkin Bread - FREE

 Bundle valued at… $121

Only pay… $99

 My Culinary Club Price… $79.20

There are many other recipes you can use with these ingredients. Please check out http://www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com/ to see!

Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos would be a good way to describe my home. In my mind's eye, my home looks like a Sarah Richardson Design (Oliver & I love watching Sarah's House - said with a Canadian accent!) but sadly it is more of a...well...a mess! I tend to be a very organized person, but at times it is hard to tell. With school about to begin, I am determined not to lose, forget or misplace as many items as I have in the past. To accomplish this goal I am arming myself with a few simple things. First, I am creating a space in the kitchen where I can keep items used on a day to day basis. This includes a school roster, on-going grocery list, meal planner, family planner (thanks to my friend, Gaynor, and her great company Phoenix Trading - click here to see more), and my cell phone charger which I can never find. Second, I discovered a great website - momAgenda - that is devoted to helping Moms get organized. I am using a couple of their products along with their free downloads to keep a lot of information in one, small, easy-to-find place. If you go to http://www.momagenda.com/ and use the rewards code - mom25550 or just click this rewards code link www.momagenda.com/?rewardscode=mom25550 you will get a 10% discount.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Squares

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Squares
Serves 12

2 packages crescent rolls
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 package Wildtree Pumpkin Cheesecake Blend
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 tsp milk
Dash of vanilla extract

Layer 1 package of crescent rolls in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish, pressing the edges together to form a solid layer. Combine half the cream cheese with the Pumpkin Cheesecake Blend and sugar in a bowl and mix until well blended. Spread over the crescent roll layer. Spread with the remaining plain cream cheese. Top with the remaining crescent rolls, pressing the edges together to form the top layer. Bake at 325º to 350ºF for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Combine the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla in a bowl and mix well. Drizzle over the warm baked layer. Cut into squares.

WILDTREE TIP: This recipe can be made with any of the Wildtree Cheesecake Blends.

Please go to www.jenwarr.mywidltree.com.

Apple Crisp

Apple Crisp
 Serves 6 

5 McIntosh apples, peeled and sliced 
2 tsp Wildtree Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Blend 
1/3 cup butter, softened 
1/3 cup sugar 
1/3 cup flour 

Arrange the apples in a buttered 8x8 inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with the Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Blend. Combine the butter, sugar and flour in a bowl and mix well. Spread over the apples. Bake at 350ºF for 30-45 minutes or until the apples are soft and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream.

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins
These are great to put in your child's lunchbox or for an after school snack!

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup wheat germ
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon Wildtree Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Blend
1 large egg
1/2 cup date sugar
 1/3 cup Wildtree Natural GSO
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

 PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 425ºF. In large bowl combine wheat germ, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Blend. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with date sugar, grapeseed oil, applesauce and milk. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until just moistened. Stir in nuts. Spoon into muffin tins lined with cupcake papers. Mix 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on top of muffins before baking. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

Product of the Month on Sale

Each month I will highlight one product (at a 20% discount) from Wildtree's Catalog that is either seasonal or just plain yummy! This month it is all about the Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Blend which is a perfect compliment to our September Guest Special, the Quick Pumpkin Bread. You can use it for a lot more than cheesecake! Click the links below to see some other recipes. Cream Cheese Squares

Apple Crisp

Applesauce Cinnamon Muffins

If you would like to try the Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Blend this month and save 20%, contact me to place an order at www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com.

Tuscany on a piece of toast!

This is an absolutely delicious appetizer or snack! White Bean Dip Crostini with Olive Tapenade & Caramelized Onions

2 large onions, sliced into 1/4 inch wide strips
3 TBSP Lemon GSO
1 package of Wildly Delicious White Bean Dip, mixed according to package
1 cup of black and green olives

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Brush bread with 1 TBSP Lemon GSO, arrange on a cookie sheet. and bake until crusty. In a skillet over medium heat, cook onions in 1 TBSP Lemon GSO until they are soft and start to caramelize. Pulse the olives and 1 TBSP Lemon GSO in a food processor to a chunky consistency. Top crostini with a layer of White Bean Dip, a layer of olives and a layer of onions.

What to cook with Wildtree's NEW Tzatziki Blend

Tzatziki is a delicious dip...but it can be used in many more ways!

Classic Tzatziki Dip
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 TBSP Tzatziki Blend
1/2 cucumber, grated

Mix all the ingredients together and then refrigerate for an hour. Excellent served with falafel.

*****

Lime Dill Fish


*****

Roasted Tzatziki Vegetable
3 large carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
2 yellow bell peppers, sliced
1 purple or white onion, chunked
2 medium potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
3 TBSP Garlic GSO
2 TBSP Tzatziki Blend

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss all ingredients together and roast for about 40 minutes. You can also use a grill pan for about 40 minutes on the grill.

To order any Wildtree products please go to www.jenwarr.mywildtree.com.

What to cook with Wildtree's NEW Falafel Blend!

Wildtree came out with some delicious new products last month and I wanted to share some recipes. Falafel, which is a great substitute to meat or chicken, can be used in a sandwich, on a salad, or as an appetizer bite. It pairs beautifully with our Tzatziki Blend or our White Bean Dip Blend. See below for lots of recipes using Falafel and other new products. Basic Falafel Ingredients: package of Falafel Mix 3/4 cup water Natural GSO in pan Combine Falafel Mix and water in a bowl and let rest for about 20 minutes before forming into 2 inch balls. Heat a goodly amount of Natural GSO in a skillet until about 375 degrees and saute Falafel for about 3 minutes until crispy and brown on both sides, then drain. You can use it in a sandwich made with pita bread, romaine lettuce, sliced onion, Tzatziki Dip, diced tomatoes and cucumber. You can also use Wildtree's White Bean Dip as a sandwich spread instead. Falafel is also great in a salad. Combine salad greens, cucumbers, tomatoes. and use our Italian Salad Dressing Mix Falafel Veggie Burger Prepare Wildtree's Falafel Mix according to the package. Add 1/4 cup corn, 1/4 cup black beans and 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper to the mix and form into patties. Fry them in a skillet with 2 TBSP Natural GSO and serve on hamburger buns with cheese, lettuce, onion and topped with Tzatziki Sauce.

Eco-Friendly Lunch Box and Discount Codes!

There are many types of back to school shopping...clothing, school supplies...but I am having a great time creating an eco-friendly lunch box for my 6 year old son. I found all kinds of amazing products and thought I would share them along with some discount codes!

First stop was the actual lunch box.

I love the idea of the bento box that Laptop Lunches creates, but I did not want to pack everything in plastic. Instead, we opted for a fun Laptop Lunch Bento Carrier and we will fill it ourselves. Use the code VEGLUNCHBOX and received a 10% discount!

The next stop was filling the Laptop Lunchbox with non-plastic containers.
I purchased some leak-proof, food grade stainless steel containers from Kids Konserve. I can fill them with yogurt, juicy strawberries or leftover pesto pasta. I also bought their non-toxic biodegradable ice pack with insulated sack so that it won't sweat all over the food. Use the code MARINMOMMIES and receive a 15% discount.

I also found a divided stainless steel container from Lunchbots that is perfect for a sandwich and some Pirate's Booty! Use the code BTS and get a 25% discount.

I also found some really cute snack bags at Itzy Ritzy (see top of page for picture) and Snack Taxi. You can use TWINS at Itzy Ritzy to receive a 20% discount and SCHOOL20 to receive a 20% discount from Snack Taxi.

Lastly, my son actually loves to use cloth napkins so I found these really cute ones at Mika&Bu to send in his lunch box. They are having a sale on their website, but you can also use the code COOLMOMPICKS to buy one get one free.
  

Happy, healthy lunchbox shopping!